In a known cabling machine of this kind (German patent application No. 29 39 435, FIGS. 6-9), the support arm is rigidly connected to the machine frame. In order that a feed bobbin can be inserted in the spindle, there must be sufficient vertical distance between the thread combining means, which is constructed as a guide roller, and the spindle. Due to this and the fact that the spindles are arranged a fairly large distance away from the floor, the take-up bobbin and other bobbins carried by a bobbin creel are located a relatively large distance away from the floor. Therefore they can be reached by the operator only with difficulty. For this reason, in the known cabling machine the bobbin creel is pivotable downwardly. However, this makes the cabling machine quite considerably more expensive. Operation of the cabling machine is also rendered difficult by the fact that the delivery device is disposed in the form of a leading roller relative to the vertical plane extending through the spindle axes, on the side of this vertical plane facing towards the operator. The takeup bobbins are offset from the aforementioned vertical plane towards the longitudinal centre plane of the machine. The leading rollers facing towards the operator hinder access to the take-up bobbins. Moreover, the view of the thread monitor is impaired by the leading roller and the continuous shaft carrying it, which makes threading difficult.
In another known cabling machine (European patent application No. 165 188) the delivery device, which is designed as a galette, is also disposed on the side of the vertical plane extending through the spindle axes, facing towards the operator. The twine from the delivery device is passed over a very high guide roller, in order to obtain a relatively long compensating distance between the shot thread guide and this last guide roller. The take-up device is in turn disposed, Just as in the cabling machine described first, on the side of the vertical plane extending through the spindle axes, facing towards the operator. The above disadvantages thus also apply to this cabling machine. Added to this is the fact that the last, very high guide roller makes it difficult to insert the twine. As it is located above the take-up bobbin, the twine guided over the last guide roller hinders access to the take-up bobbin.
In another known cabling machine (German Utility Model No. 84 01 414), at the free end of a rigid support arm is provided a guide roller mounted on a spring-loaded pivot arm. As a result the guide roller can move in the direction of the twine section extending between the guide roller and the take-up device. Fluctuations in tension which would be caused by the reciprocating shot thread guide are absorbed as a result. In order that new feed bobbins can be inserted in the spindles, here too a fairly large distance must be provided between the support arm and the spindles. The spindles themselves are disposed a large distance away from the floor, as supports for additional feed bobbins are provided beneath the spindles. This machine construction is suitable only for small feed bobbins, as otherwise the machine would reach a height which would exclude the possibility of easy operation.
It is the object of the invention to provide a cabling machine of the kind mentioned hereinbefore, which is suitable for large feed bobbins and nevertheless has a relatively small overall height, so that it is also easy to operate.